Knife for linotype-machines



, No. 6|4,602. v Patented Nov. 22, I898.

G. A. BATES. KNIFE Fon LINOTYPE MACHINES.

(Application filed Feb. 23, 1898.)

(No Model.)

NTTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE A. BATES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE MERGEN- THALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

KNIFE FOR LlNOTYPE-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,602, dated November 22, 1898.

Application filed February 23,1898. Serial No. 671,293. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BATES, of New York, (Brooklyn,) county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Knives for Linotype- Machines, of which the following is a specification. y

In the Mergenthaler linotype-machine and kindred machines type-metal slugs cast in a mold are acted upon by an ejector-blade, which forces them out of the mold and forward between two parallel knives, which serve to remove any irregularities and reduce them to a uniform thickness. The molds are frequently changed or adjusted to produce slugs of greater or less thickness. This renders it necessary to adjust one of the knives accordingly, the second knife being permitted to remain permanently in position.

The object of the present invention is to provide for the instantaneous and accurate adjustment of the movable knife, so that it will serve to trim the outgoing slugs to the required standard thickness-such, for example, as the thickness of agate, small pica, or nonpareil.

To this end the invention consists in combining with a movable knife an adjustingwedge for advancing the knife and means for quickly adjusting the wedge to predetermined position; also, in the combination, with said wedge, of an adjustable support or supports therefor in order to compensate for any variation which may occur in the width of the knife from grinding or otherwise.

In the accompanying drawings I have represented the knife as constructed and adapted more particularly to the standard linotypemachines; but it will be understood that the parts may be varied in form and proportion as special applications may demand, provided the mode of operation herein described is retained.

Figure-1 represents a perspective View of the knife-block and knife provided with my adjusting device. Fig. 2 is a face view of the knife and its adjuncts, looking in the direction in which the slug approaches the knife. the line 3 3 of the preceding figures.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section on Fig.

4 is a perspective view of the wedge by which the knife is sustained and adjusted.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the cast-metal block or support forming part of the main frame and ordinarily termed the knife-block and secured thereto, as usual, by two through-bolts b, so adjusted as to hold the knife snugly to the face of the block, but at the same time permit it to move forward and backward under moderate pressure.

0 represents the stationary knife bolted to the main frame, its edge being arranged opposite to and parallel with that of the knife B, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the outgoing slug passing between the knives will be trimmed on the two faces simultaneously, as usual. I

The knife B, which may be in all respects of ordinary construction,is urged constantly forward by a flat spring D, seated in the interior of the block and bearing at its middle on a fixed support (Z and at its two ends against the knife-holding bolts 6.

E represents the knifeadjusting wedge seated behind and against the rear edge of the knife and adapted to slide length-wise thereon. This wedge has two tapered or inclined surfaces located at opposite ends and sustained, respectively, by the bolts F F, seated in the knife-blocks and preferably provided with binding-nuts f to prevent their accidental movement. As the wedge E is moved downward its ends ride on the sup portingscrews, and it is caused to move bodily forward, forcing the knife B before it toward the knife 0, thus reducing the space between them and adapting the machine to trim slugs to reduced thickness. As the Wedge is moved vertically the knife is relieved from pressure and is forced backward by the spring D, which keeps it in close contact with the wedge. The wedge may be moved endwise to effect the adjustment of the knife by any suitable means, and looking devices of any suitable character may be employed to hold it in its different positions. I prefer, however, to adjust the knife by means of the long lever 11, pivoted to the block at h and notched out at its inner end to receive the pin or stud e, projecting from equal to the thickness between one size of type to the nextfor example, from agate to nonpareil or nonpareil to minion. In this manner an accurate and instantaneous adjustment of the knife may be effected, so as to trim slugs of standard size from ruby or agate to small pica or even to larger sizes, if required.

In practice it may occur from wear of the parts or from the grinding of the knife that its cutting edge will lose its parallelism with the opposing knife. To correct any deviation of this kind, I mount in the knife-block the two screws F, before mentioned, which serve as bearings for the ends of the wedge and which may be instantly adjusted until the wedge and knife are in the required position. It will be understood that these screws'are not the means of adjusting the knife under ordinary conditions, but simply a means of bringing the knife into position parallel with its companion. Either one of the screws F maybe omitted; but in practice it is found advisable to retain both.

The adj listing-wedge may be tapered continuously from one end to the other; but it is preferred to employ the two inclined surfaces for the reason that I am thus enabled to make the wedge shorter, to give it a greater taper, and to effect the adjustment with a smaller longitudinal movement than would otherwise be possible. Vhile I prefer to employ the ratchet-teeth and the spring-actuated catch to engage them, it is obvious that these parts may be altered within the limits of mechanical skill, provided only they are adapted to lock the wedge in predetermined positions, so that the distance between the knives under various adjustments will correspond with the standard thickness demanded for the slugs. The speedy adjustment of the knife by my improvement is advantageous not only for the trimming of solid slugs, but also for trimming down the ribs which are ordinarily cast on linotype-slugs to a greater or less extent. If the knife is adjusted to leave the ribs of suitable height, the slugs or linotypes will lock up in the form as leaded matter. If the knife is set to trim the ribs away to a greater extent, the same will lock up as solid matter, and thus the machine is adapted for instantly changing from solid to leaded matter at the will of the operator.

The screws K are those ordinarily employed in connection with the stationary knife 0 and form no part of the present invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a linotype-machine a slug-trimming knife movable forward and backward, in combination with a spring tending to move the same in one direction, a longitudinally-movable wedge to move the knife in the opposite direction, a lever for moving said wedge, and a means for locking the wedge in predetermined positions whereby the knife may be instantly adjusted to trim the slug to different standard thicknesses.

2. In a linotype-machine a slug-trimming knife movable forward and backward, a spring tending to urge the same rearward, a longitudinally-movable wedge supporting the knife, its operating-lever, and a bolt or locking device engaging teeth on the wedge, substantially as described.

3. In a linotype-machine, a movable knife, a spring urging the same rearward, a knife supporting and adjusting wedge movable in a longitudinal direction, and means for supporting the wedge and adjusting the same transversely at one end independently of the other, whereby the edge of the knife may be kept parallel with the opposing knife.

4. In a linotype-machine, a slug-trimming knife, movable forward and backward, a spring urging the same rearward, a supporting-wedge, having at opposite ends two equally-inclined bearing-surfaces, means for moving the same endwise, and means for locking the wedge in predetermined positions.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 17th day of February, 1898, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

GEORGE A. BATES.

\Vitnesses:

W. H. RANDALL, F. W. DAVIS. 

